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[Scheme Name] M42 Junction[Scheme 6 NumberImprovement TR100xx] 1.3 Introduction to the Application Scheme Number TR010027 APFP Regulation 5(2)(q) VolumePlanning 6Act 2008 Infrastructure Planning (Applications: Prescribed Forms and Procedure) 6.1 Environmental StatementRegulations 2009 Chapter 2 – Site and Surroundings Regulation 5(2)(a) Planning Act 2008 Infrastructure Planning (Applications: Prescribed Forms and Procedure) Regulations 2009 January 2019 PCF XXX PRODUCT NAME | VERSION 1.0 | 25 SEPTEMBER 2013 | 5124654 Volume [x] [Month/year] M42 Junction 6 Improvement Environmental Statement Infrastructure Planning Planning Act 2008 The Infrastructure Planning (Applications: Prescribed Forms and Procedure) Regulations 2009 M42 Junction 6 Improvement Development Consent Order 202[ ] 6.1 Environmental Statement Chapter 2 Site and Surroundings Regulation Number Regulation 5(2)(a) Planning Inspectorate Scheme TR010027 Reference Application Document Reference 6.1 Author M42 Junction 6 Improvement Project Team and Highways England Version Date Status of Version 1 January 2019 DCO Application Planning Inspectorate Scheme Ref: TR010027 Application Document Ref: TR010027/APP/6.1 M42 Junction 6 Improvement Environmental Statement Table of contents Chapter Pages 2 Site and surroundings 1 2.1 Introduction 1 2.2 Location and Order Limits 1 2.3 Transportation 1 2.4 Landform and topography 3 2.5 Settlement and land use 3 2.6 Hydrology 4 2.7 Public utilities 5 2.8 Planning and environmental designations 5 Planning Inspectorate Scheme Ref: TR010027 Application Document Ref: TR010027/APP/6.1 M42 Junction 6 Improvement Environmental Statement 2 Site and surroundings 2.1 Introduction 2.1.1 This chapter presents an overview of the existing environmental conditions of the land associated with the Scheme and the surrounding area. 2.1.2 A detailed description of the Scheme is presented in Chapter 3 The project. 2.2 Location and Order Limits 2.2.1 Figure 2.1 in TR010027/APP/6.2 illustrates the extents of land required to construct, operate and maintain the Scheme (referred to as the Order Limits), and also illustrates the key features, interests and designations both within and surrounding the Order Limits as outlined within this chapter. 2.2.2 All land within the Order Limits is located within the administrative boundary of Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council (SMBC). 2.3 Transportation M42 motorway 2.3.1 The M42 motorway is a strategic route that forms an important connection between the East and West Midlands. 2.3.2 The motorway runs from the south-west of Birmingham near Bromsgrove, where it connects to the M5 motorway, to the north-east of Tamworth where it turns into the A42 at the A42/A444 Junction. It passes to the south and east of Birmingham, Solihull, Tamworth and various smaller towns, and connects with the M40, M6, M6 (toll) and M5 motorways and a number of trunk roads. 2.3.3 Technology was installed on the M42 motorway in 2006 as part of improvements to control traffic and ease congestion, between Junction 9 (east of Curdworth) and a point approximately 3km east of Junction 3 (north of Wood End). M42 Junction 6 2.3.4 M42 Junction 6 is a key junction on the M42 motorway and lies at the heart of an area of dynamic growth on the eastern edge of Birmingham, approximately 15km from the city centre. 2.3.5 The junction provides connections between the motorway network and the A45 Coventry Road (A45), and serves a number of strategic and expanding economic assets in the area including: Birmingham Airport, the National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), the National Motorcycle Museum and National Conference Centre (NMM), Birmingham International Railway Station, and Birmingham Business Park. 2.3.6 The junction comprises a tiered circulatory island that provides both direct and indirect access to a number of these businesses, the western and eastern extents of which are positioned above and beneath the A45 respectively. Slip roads on the island connect the M42 motorway to the A45 and provide connections to the local road network to the south and west of Middle Bickenhill. Planning Inspectorate Scheme Ref: TR010027 Application Document Ref: TR010027/APP/6.1 1 M42 Junction 6 Improvement Environmental Statement 2.3.7 The junction is one of the busiest interchanges on the strategic road network. Existing problems associated with congestion and journey delays relate to: a. daily through-traffic movements at M42 Junction 6 totalling around 102,000 vehicles per day on the M42, and around 26,000 vehicles per day on the A45; b. turning movements at M42 Junction 6 totalling around 68,000 vehicles per day; c. daily through-traffic movements on the A45 at Clock Interchange totalling around 43,000 vehicles per day, and junction turning movements totalling around 31,000 vehicles per day; and d. variable increases in traffic levels associated with people making journeys to and from the NEC, NMM, Birmingham Airport, Birmingham International Railway Station and JLR. 2.3.8 Additionally, the M42 northbound to Airport Way free flow link was constructed in 2016 to facilitate free flow of traffic from the M42 Junction 6 to Airport Way; however, this link is frequently used by motorists to bypass the queueing at the junction and cross over the segregated tiger tail road markings to access the A45 westbound. 2.3.9 Further information regarding existing traffic movements is presented in the Transport Assessment Report [TR010027/APP/7.2]. A45 Coventry Road 2.3.10 The A45 provides access to a number of strategic economic assets in Birmingham. It connects Clock Interchange, approximately 850m to the west of Junction 6, with the A452 Stonebridge Island, approximately 1.5km east of Junction 6. 2.3.11 The western stretch of the A45 between M42 Junction 6 and Clock Interchange was widened in August 2016 as part of a local network improvement scheme. Clock Interchange 2.3.12 Clock Interchange links the A45 with the B4438 Catherine-de-Barnes Lane (Catherine-de-Barnes Lane) to the south and Bickenhill Lane to the north via a roundabout and slip roads. An off-slip is provided for westbound traffic to exit the A45 and continues through to Airport Way, north of the interchange. Local road network 2.3.13 Catherine-de-Barnes Lane is a busy local road running in a north-south direction between Clock Interchange and the B4102 Solihull Road (Solihull Road). It provides the main link between Solihull to Birmingham Airport, the NEC and Marston Green to the north of Clock Interchange, and passes west of Bickenhill. 2.3.14 Solihull Road passes over the M42 motorway some 1.8km south of M42 Junction 6 via a bridge. The road connects the settlements of Catherine-de-Barnes, located 1km west of the bridge, with Hampton in Arden, located 1.2km east of the bridge. Planning Inspectorate Scheme Ref: TR010027 Application Document Ref: TR010027/APP/6.1 2 M42 Junction 6 Improvement Environmental Statement 2.3.15 Shadowbrook Lane provides a further connection between the western fringes of Hampton in Arden and Catherine-de-Barnes Lane some 500m south of Bickenhill, and passes over the M42 motorway via a bridge approximately 1.6km south of M42 Junction 6. 2.3.16 A number of smaller lanes and unclassified roads connect with these routes and provide access to more remote and isolated areas. Such routes include: St. Peters Lane, which connects Bickenhill to Catherine-de-Barnes Lane at two locations to the south of Clock Interchange; Church Lane, provides access to residents adjacent to the A45 east of Clock Interchange; Clock Lane, which provides local access to housing immediately south west of Clock Interchange; and service roads such as East Way and Middle Bickenhill Lane between M42 Junction 6 and A452 Stonebridge Island, which provide access to Middle Bickenhill and local businesses. Public transport 2.3.17 A section of the West Coast Mainline railway runs in a north west to south east direction approximately 300m south west of M42 Junction 6. Local communities are served by Hampton in Arden railway station and at Birmingham International Railway Station. 2.3.18 A number of bus and coach routes use the local road network, with services accessible from the A45, Solihull Road and Catherine-de-Barnes Lane. 2.4 Landform and topography 2.4.1 The area surrounding M42 Junction 6 is characterised by gently varying topography, the majority of which is relatively flat in profile and situated around 90m to 100m above Ordnance Datum (AOD). 2.4.2 The landform rises gradually from east to west towards the settlement of Bickenhill, reaching a height of approximately 115m AOD to the west of the village and around 120m to 130m AOD at Catherine-de-Barnes. 2.4.3 Smaller topographical variations are associated with the shallow valleys of watercourses crossing the area. 2.5 Settlement and land use 2.5.1 Land use is marked by a contrast of urban development immediately north west of M42 Junction 6 set against the more open agricultural landscapes and settlements found to the south, east and north east of the junction. 2.5.2 Land north east of M42 Junction 6 predominantly comprises arable farmland and mineral extraction. 2.5.3 Land to the north west of the junction is occupied by major commercial and transport enterprises including the NEC, Birmingham Business Park, Birmingham International Railway Station and Birmingham Airport. The NMM is also accessed directly off M42 Junction 6. Arden Eco Park, located some 600m east of the junction, is served by a local connecting road parallel to the A45. Planning Inspectorate Scheme Ref: TR010027 Application Document Ref: TR010027/APP/6.1 3 M42 Junction 6 Improvement Environmental Statement 2.5.4 Bickenhill and Catherine-de-Barnes, located south west of M42 Junction 6, and Hampton in Arden, located south east of the junction, are the main settlements in the area, all of which are set within rural farmland.